I lost my new Chocolate Tang.
I found him dead this morning and am feeling very guilty as he was the picture of health while in QT. If you've read this thread you know I've been battling an Ich problem; brought to the tank via my Harlequin Tuskfish. After extensive research and advice from members, I decided to leave all the fish in the 225 gal and let them run the Ich gauntlet. I fed them 3 times per day, soaked all their food in garlic and Selcon, run a 25 watt UV sterilizer 24/7, a diatom filter for several hours each day and change 25 gals of water every week: Hoping that healthy fish, with good water conditions could survive the Ich. Well, it only took 6 days for the Chocolate Tang to succumb to it, and my SF Tang while still eating isn't in much better shape. The Tuskfish also has a good dose of Ich as well, but is at least eating and behaving normally. All 12 Chromis, Angelfish, LM Blenny, Hawkfish, Foxface and Bannerfish are in good shape.
So, what to do with the Sailfin? I can catch him and treat in hospital tank. If he survives that, then what do I do? Put him back in the DT to become infected all over again, or will he be able to fight it off after surviving it once. Another course of action is to go and buy a larger QT tank, remove all the fish, and leave the DT fallow for 8 weeks. But how will that many fish make out in a 30 or 40 gal hospital tank for 8 weeks? Might be doing more harm than good. While the other fish are fine does this mean I can never put another tang in this tank again? I just don't know what to do!